1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of this invention lies within the electrical connector art. Specifically, the field can be confined to that residing within the minature connector art wherein wire is held within a pin. The pin is seated within a plastic member which holds the pin and provides an elongated passage surrounding the pin. Within the passage, a tubular mating female section slips over the pin between it and the surrounding plastic member. The foregoing provides a multiplicity of separable pin connectors.
2. THE PRIOR ART
The prior art related to miniature connectors of the foregoing type involves the utilization of pins in various forms. One pin is formed from a metal Y element having a rectangular base. The rectangular base is formed into a roll pin by rolling it over or onto itself for placing wire therein. The terminal points of the Y are bent downwardly to form a triangulated member at the ends of the Y and its upright portion.
In some cases, the legs of the Y are turned into the roll pin. The foregoing allows for maintenance of the legs of the Y in a downwardly oriented location within the roll pin.
One drawback to the foregoing is that the roll pin and Y cannot be formed so that the elements of the pin are sufficiently resilinet. Furthermore, removal of the pin is made more difficult by virtue of the fact that the pin is formed into a plastic body for holding it in situ.
The pins are often placed within a plastic element for securement therewith. Epoxy can be additionally utilized to secure the pin into a seated relationship within the plastic.
Oftentimes it is necessary to remove the pins so that the wiring arrangement can be changed, or to repair the pin itself. As can be appreciated, a fixed pin relationship entails the utilization of various molding processes as well as the inability to remove the pin in a facile manner.
Another drawback of the prior art is that once the pin has been established within its axial passage of the plastic, it tends to be "ironed out" by the female element. In other words, the outward resilience of the pin is ironed by the female fitting which slides over the pin between the walls of the axial passage and the pin itself. This "ironing out" effect creates a situation wherein the pin grip is eventually loosened by virtue of its spring memory being lost. As it is loosened within the female connector, it causes either a poor connection, or no connection at all if the female element becomes displaced.
Some pins having only two arms, namely one ascending support arm and one descending arm have two serious disadvantages in contrast to this invention. They do not have a wide rounded nose needed to assure alignment with the mating socket. Furthermore, they do not have the contact legs to assure continuity of current flow under severe shock and vibration environments.
The foregoing drawbacks of the prior art have been substantially overcome by this invention. Specifically, the invention provides a pin having a resilient flared memory and one in the form of a tulip shaped member. The tulip shape provides a resilient element that bends inwardly in an S shaped spring configuration. Also, the base of the pin configuration is seated on a ledge or annulus to prevent withdrawal of the pin.
If the pin is to be withdrawn, a tool can be implaced within the passage in the plastic into which the pin is placed for narrowing the diameter of the pin so that it will pass over an internal ledge or annular ring which secures the base or terminal portions of the pin.
The terminal portions of the pin rest on an annulus or base ledge and prevent the pin from sliding out of the plastic base. This particular feature eliminates the requirement of having to securely affix the pin into the surrounding plastic or by means of an adhesive.
In addition to the foregoing, the invention provides an annular element against which the arms of the pin rest in a manner whereby a sloping catch or latch effect is effectuated. The sloping catch or latch can be in the form of a ledge, or a sloping shoulder on the interior of the annulus. This effectuates a gripping of the terminal portions of the pins so that the pin cannot be removed unless the terminal portions thereof are lifted and squeezed to a diameter less than the diameter of the narrowest portion of the annulus or ledge.
The foregoing features and aspects will become more apparent in the following specification in which a preferred embodiment hereof has been described.